In passenger cabins of aircraft, above the seat rows, stowage compartments are provided for stowing the cabin luggage of passengers during the flight. Such hatracks can be integrated in such a manner that on the one hand the freedom of movement of passengers is not restricted, and on the other hand these stowage compartments can be conveniently accessed in order to remove and deposit luggage. Design, arrangement and operation of the device for storing luggage, also referred to as a hatrack, a fixed or moving bin or an overhead stowage compartment (OHSC), is one of the factors determining passengers' comfort and wellbeing in the cabin. In particular during the takeoff and landing phases, as well as in emergencies, overhead stowage compartments in aircraft are subjected to very high mechanical loads and must thus meet mandatory aviation safety standards relating to their fatigue strength and behaviour in the case of a crash.
The design of conventional hatracks often comprises a rigid housing with a fixed bottom as well as an upwards-opening lid. These embodiments share a common characteristic in that stowage and removal of items of luggage are arduous because of the confined spatial arrangement and limited accessibility of the hatrack as a result of its comparatively high positioning. In particular, persons of short stature are thus faced with difficulties when removing luggage. Furthermore, these hatracks lack the appearance of integration in the cabin lining.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,942 A a hatrack in the form of a shell is known, which hatrack can be swivelled from a closed stowage position or rest position to an open loading position. In this arrangement the access opening for passengers results from a height difference between a lower housing edge and the front edge of the hatrack in the lowered position. This arrangement has been associated with a disadvantage in that this hatrack swivels as far as the head region of the passengers in the seated position.
WO 2007/048916 A relates to an overhead hatrack for aircraft, which hatrack for storing luggage includes a movable housing. The housing, which in a transport position is arranged so as to be inclined, can be swivelled on an off-centre pivot point to a loading position or unloading position. In the closed position or the transport position this hatrack requires effective locking of the housing to protect passengers from falling items of luggage. Due to the pivot point of the housing, which pivot point is arranged off-centre, closing the hatrack requires a relatively substantial effort.
In the transport position the overhead hatrack for aircraft according to WO 2008/012427 A is arranged so as to be inclined. In the loading or unloading position the hatrack is swivelled in the direction of the passenger on a pivot point that is positioned off-centre. Synchronously to this a cabin wall element which is arranged alongside the hatrack is swivelled upwards in order to facilitate access to the hatrack. This concept requires a relatively large cabin wall region. Furthermore, the individual cabin wall elements, which are movable separately to each other, require complex kinematics that require regular maintenance as well as readjustment in order to maintain equal gap dimensions between the cabin wall elements and the hatrack.